by Lucas J. Thompson
“Wha..Wha…” but she delayed too long. The thing, with amazing speed, threw off it’s robe revealing a scaly green reptile-like body with it’s head like a birds. It’s eyes were small black dots and the feathers on it‘s head and feet where white. It had a yellow pointed beak and folded green wings. It’s tail was nearly as long as itself and it had two ten inch claws on each arm instead of hands. Wearing only a pair of ankle length war mail pants and a torn mail shirt, it had several injuries caused by a blade, a stab wound on it‘s side, a large slash on it‘s left leg and a cut that went from it’s shoulder to it’s lower back. Blood as dark as a Barfraids’ soul covered it’s legs and back and it was holding it’s side in pain. With inhuman speed and strength it dug it’s claws into the women’s neck, blood sprayed on it’s face as she fell limp to the ground. The cut on it’s back began to disappear. It spun around to reveal itself to the rest of the people in the bar. The entire room grew completely voiceless. The only sound was coming from the crackling fire.
“WHERE ISSS ACHAMIAN??” it hissed whipping out it’s long curved blade. Ancient writing on the blade was red and it shone in the firelight. Nothing, not even a whisper came from the terrified crowd. It grew impatient.
“WHERE ISSS ACHAMIAN??” it screeched, but did not wait for a reply. It whispered something under it’s breathe and it’s eyes grew wide and light poured out of them. The shards of glass that lay at it’s feet began to rise and quickly shot up to it’s eye level. The crowd gasped and began to run to the entrance, but it was to late. The words now bellowed from it’s mouth and the pieces of glass shot out with extreme precision hitting every person in the bar and sending them hurdling toward the floor dying in pain. Blood sprayed on the walls and the floor was a pool of red. The things injuries were gone now and it put on it’s robe and clambered out the wooden door into the rainy streets of Aienst.
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The incense in the tent was merciless. Achamian sat up startled, he felt his wet cheek and strained to look where he was. The incense overpowered him and he coughed loudly. A naked body lay next to him, partially uncovered by blankets, groaning for warmth. Her breasts were wet in the light of dusk and her hair was cascaded over her entire chest and stomach.
I wonder how I ever won the heart of such a beauty.
Achamian thought as he laid a scratchy wool blanket over her tender body and kissed her on the cheek. It was warm and tasted of salt. He lit the candle in the centre of the leather tent with a whispered word and got dressed distracted by his own thoughts.
Had it been a dream? he thought, or a vision? I have never seen such a creature, it must have been a dream.
He sat up his blonde hair brushing his eyebrow as he grabbed his short sword and buckled it to his skinny waste. His black robe tickled the top of his feet and was held by a red sash around his waste. Wrapping his white quiver around his shoulder along with his white Elven Bow, he crept out of the tent and the wind brushed his youthful white skin. They had camped on the small island of Timen, in the north western part of the Sea of Väinguard. They had been delivering a message in Aiënst two days previous.
Achamian had been cheapened to messenger boy after The Jade Underground’s loss in the Jobia Desert. A crackle from behind, Achamian spun around hand on blade. But it was only Zareb. He was wearing a dark blue imperial robe and carried a longsword across his broad back. His face had seen many battles and his sword many victories. His long dark hair wheeled in the wind. Although Zareb was not gifted in sorcery he was an exceptionally good warrior and Achamian had relied on him in many situations.
“A little jumpy this morning? While you where sleeping with that wench I caught us breakfast!” he teased throwing down a pike with five rabbits. The sun was rising on the sea and men were already busying themselves with the ship below.
“Your just jealous of her beauty” Achamian retorted playfully , “and that you don’t have…”
“Are you talking about me again Achamian?” Seria said mischievously as she left their tent. Achamian thought in the sunrise she looked more like a queen than a Sorcerers lover. Her long blonde hair brushed against her simple brown servant robes. Her beauty rivalled the princess of Corinserin. She was bold, and that was what originally drew Achamian to her. Unlike most submissive Corinsi women she wore a dagger and a small bow.
“Well, if it isn’t the Queen of shit!” exclaimed Zareb with a smirk. He hoped to make her mad.
“Oh shut up you big oaf” she said as she punched him playfully in the stomach.
“Enough you two!” exclaimed Achamian, “We have much to prepare, the traders ship leaves today, they are done trading with the small villages on this island. If we miss it, another won’t be along for six months! Seria, you gather wood and Zareb and I will take down the tents.” They grumbled but agreed to the work without much protest, they where anxious to leave. They had been camping on Timen for several days without much to do but sit and wait for the traders to return to their boats.
There is nothing on this island but a few shit small villages and a bunch of looted ruins Achamian thought I can’t wait to get back to Cagenstien.
Packing up all of their personal things which where a few blankets, some incense, a couple canteens and several robes, he proceeded to take down there pole-style tent made of birch and cow hide and packed everything into two large packs, one slightly smaller for Seria.
Zareb joined him as he stood looking down the steep decent to the sandy shore, the sun was now miles above the horizon. Zareb was nearly a foot taller than Achamian. It made Achamian look short when Zareb stood next to him but the reality is that Zareb was unusually tall, but also wide and powerfully built. Achamian’s knowledge of him before they met was sketchy at best. He never really talked about it. Achamian knew that he came from some ancient city in the Jobia Desert, but that was about it. They had met in Cagenstien, the Holy City of Corinserin. He was working as a guard in the Jade Underground, the most powerful sorcery school in Corinserin, and the home of Achamian, when they met. Achamian immediately liked Zareb and they were soon very good friends and travel companions. He had become a powerful ally over the years and now they were almost inseparable.
“You’re a lucky man to have a lover with such beauty, even if she is bold” said Zareb passively. Achamian thought he heard a hint of jealousy.
“I know, I am a lucky man. Are you looking forward to the journey home?”
“Ugh, not really, long and no enemies makes for a boring journey” Zareb said with a chuckle.
“Always looking for a fight eh? I am looking forward to finally getting home, even though I am worried about the state of the Jade Underground.”
“They’ve bounced back from greater tragedies than a simple loss of a hundred or so footmen, most not even sorcerers. The campaign to capture the desert was frivolous anyway. Such a fool is Johan, to send two hundred men to do the job of an army”
“He can be foolish sometimes, but he is a good leader” Johan was the one of the members on the Council of Sorcery in the Jade Underground, he was in charge of military action, both defensive and offensive. Seria returned with the fire wood and placed it in the pit. Achamian lit it with a word and they began to cook the rabbit.
“Achamian” Seria said pausing to take a generous portion of a Rabbit torso, “when will you teach me to use sorcery?”
“You know it is not my place, you have the ability to learn, but you are much to old and I would be a much to strict teacher.” Achamian replied.
“To old, I could get any man I wanted, even greater men than you.”
“Okay, Okay, people usually start learning magic before the age of eight and your 23! But it is still not my place, you have to talk to the council.” What she had said scared Achamian.
“I have and they deny me ever time! You are my only chance to learn the holy arts and that is all there is too it! I don‘t want to learn destructive spells, just some tricks to make my life easier when your not around.”
“I’ll think about it.”
She did have a good point, and what could it hurt?
They ate there meagre, yet sufficient breakfast quietly. Achamian stared at Seria, he was madly in love and lust.
“What?” she asked feeling her mouth and cheek “Do I have something on my face?”
“Just marvelling at your beauty”
“Ugh, are you trying to make me sick??” added Zareb.
After they finished there rabbit they put on their packs and started the long decent down to the steep cliffs. The sun was now shining high above the horizon and it looked to be a hot day. It took them several hours to traverse the cliffs. Seria had wanted to stay at the top for the view, and Zareb for the safety from bandits. When they reached the bottom they made their way to the loading docks and started climb the wooden ramp to board the ship.
“Achamian?” came a voice from behind them, deep with authority.
Achamian wheeled around hand on blade along with Zareb and Seria, just as surprised. In front of them stood ten Väinguardian soldiers.
“Who asks?” said Zareb angrily. One of the men whispered something to the captain.
“We have a warrant for your arrest” said the Captain.
“On what charge?” exclaimed Achamian
“High Treason, you’ll fry for this one you fucking Corinsorin Spy!” He whipped out his short curved sword and began to move closer followed by his company, armed with pikes and short swords. Achamian seized his sword and took a defensive position. Zareb unsheathed his mighty longsword and put on a scowl while Seria grasped her small bow and strung it.
“I’m warning you were not to be messed with, Väinguard has no authority over this island!” exclaimed Achamian, but they proceeded to move closer.
Zareb delivered the first blow cutting a surprised soldier’s head clean off. Blood shot out of the headless neck as it collapsed on the ground. With a few words Achamian’s eyes grew wide and light poured from them. The words echoed though the cliffs and tore the bowels out of three men. They screamed in agony and fell to the ground staring at their own burning innards in terror. Seria released her bow and shot an unsuspecting soldier in the eye followed by another in the neck. Achamian approached the captain short sword drawn. A high blow delivered by the captain was easily parried and Achamian quickly replied with low stab that caught the surprised man in the leg. In one last struggle for survival the captain lunged at Achamian’s stomach grazing the side of his robe slicing it and causing a half inch cut below his rib. Startled Achamian stepped back holding the wound but quickly regained his bearings and stabbed the wounded man through the throat. He let him wriggle a while before removing the blade and allowing him to fall dead to the ground. To his left Zareb had disembowelled two more men and with a great blow of his longsword cut another man wielding two daggers. The man collapsed to the ground and Zareb stabbed him through the heart. The last man began to retreat but Seria strung an arrow and it stuck through the man’s calve. He fell to the ground in pain. Seria strung another arrow and it whizzed through his lower back and stuck out his stomach. Blood gushed from the fatal wound and the man fell to the ground eyes still wide in surprise.
“Where in the fuck did they come from?” exclaimed Zareb still puffing from the battle.
“I don’t…” Achamian began to get dizzy. His legs faltered, and his eyesight blurred. He saw Zareb sheath his longsword and run over to him.
What’s wrong with me? The wound isn’t that deep…
He felt himself fall to the ground and he looked up into the sapphire blue sky. He thought he saw a bird descending to the ground, but seemed to view it over a great expanse…. Darkness…
